Senate News & Analysis

2010 Senate Overview (October 30, 2009)

October 30, 2009 · 11:05 AM EDT

With the landscape changing noticeably over the summer, Democrats can no longer assume that they will have a net gain of seats in next year’s midterm elections. Of the 13 Senate seats now regarded as seriously “in play,” seven of them are currently held by Democrats. The candidacies of…

Missouri Senate: Family Matters

by Nathan L. Gonzales October 16, 2009 · 3:00 PM EDT

A Senate race between the Carnahans and the Blunts in Missouri won’t have a lot of surprises, but there could be plenty of suspense.

Secretary of State Robin Carnahan (D) and former House Majority Whip Roy Blunt (R) come from the Show Me State’s most prominent political families…

Kentucky Senate: That’s What He Said

by Nathan L. Gonzales October 2, 2009 · 1:02 PM EDT

Open seats are usually tougher to defend for the incumbent party, but in the case of Kentucky in 2010, Republican strategists are more than happy to start with a clean slate.

Almost immediately after Sen. Jim Bunning (R) narrowly won a second term in 2004, Democrats started thinking…

New Print Edition: 2010 Senate Overview

July 25, 2009 · 9:00 AM EDT
The July 23, 2009 print edition of the Rothenberg Political Report is on its way to subscribers.

The print edition of the Report comes out every two weeks. Subscribers get in-depth analysis of the most competitive races in the country, as well as quarterly House and Senate ratings,…

Kansas Senate: Degrees of Difference

by Nathan L. Gonzales June 26, 2009 · 3:00 PM EDT

Who said President Obama doesn’t have the interests of Republicans at heart? When the president chose Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) to be his secretary of Health and Human Services, he took the Democrats’ best potential Senate candidate with him.

Sen. Sam Brownback (R) is abiding by his…

New Print Edition: 2010 Senate Overview

April 17, 2009 · 4:29 PM EDT
The April 17, 2009 print edition of the Rothenberg Political Report is on its way to subscribers.

The print edition of the Report comes out every two weeks. Subscribers get in-depth analysis of the most competitive races in the country, as well as quarterly House and Senate ratings,…

2010 Senate Overview (April 17, 2009)

by Stuart Rothenberg April 17, 2009 · 3:00 PM EDT

Democrats continue to benefit from a favorable political landscape, solid poll numbers from President Barack Obama and generally successful Senate candidate fundraising, as the party continues to point itself toward additional gains next year.

Over the past few months, only the Connecticut Senate contest has changed dramatically. Incumbent…

Kentucky Senate: Bunning - Mongiardo Trading Cards

by Nathan L. Gonzales January 27, 2009 · 9:32 AM EST

Back in 2004, Dr. Daniel Mongiardo (D) took on Sen. Jim Bunning (R) and lost narrowly, 51%-49%. The Democratic challenger tried to spoof Bunning's Hall of Fame baseball career with a set of trading cards. Mongiardo, who is now Kentucky's lieutenant governor, just announced he will challenge Bunning again…

Georgia Senate: Still On My Mind

by Nathan L. Gonzales November 24, 2008 · 2:00 PM EST

It’s not over yet. The 2008 election continues with a runoff election in Georgia. And Democrats must defeat Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R) to have any chance of reaching the symbolic 60 seats in the Senate. But thanks to the ongoing recount in the Minnesota Senate race, the December 2…

2008 Senate Overview (October 31, 2008)

October 31, 2008 · 11:00 AM EDT

As the 2008 election cycle wanes, Democrats remain poised to make major gains in the Senate. As our chart indicates, seven GOP seats are likely to fall to Democrats, with an eighth, Minnesota, a toss-up. If Al Franken (D) ousts Sen. Norm Coleman (R) in the Gopher State, Democrats…